Direct saving

• Turning off lights when leaving a room.
• Completely turning off electronic equipment like VCRs and TVs; standby modes use huge amounts of electricity, often more than actually running the appliance.
• Walking, cycling or using public transport - or sharing rides.
• Using the shortest, coolest cycle possible for washing machines or dishwashers, and only running a full load.
• Filling the kettle with only as much water as needed.
• Preventing heat - and air-conditioned cooling - escaping from homes by keeping doors and windows shut, closing curtains and stopping draughts.
• Hang-drying clothes instead of tumble-drying.
• Buying solar-powered or rechargeable batteries.
• Investing in a pressure cooker - it speeds up cooking times.
• Inflating car tyres to the recommended levels to improve fuel efficiency.
• Taking shorter showers, and showers rather than baths.
• Using compact fluorescent light bulbs; one lasts as long as five or six incandescents and uses about 70 per cent less energy.
• Turning off PC monitors; one left on overnight consumes enough energy to laser-print about 800 pages.
• Turning the thermostat down by 1°C; this could cut the heating bill by 10 per cent.
• Shutting the refrigerator door; when opened, up to 30 per cent of the cold air escapes.
• Insulating homes. About half of their heat can escape through the roof and walls.

Indirect saving

• Recycling glass, paper, plastics and metals at home, work and school; it takes more energy and resources
to create new items. Recycling one aluminium can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours.
• Using cloth bags for shopping instead of the plastic ones at the store.
• Trying to buy goods that use little or no packaging.
• Printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.
• Reusing all materials, such as food containers, when possible.
• Participating in a carbon-offsetting scheme, such as Climate Care. This involves using the organization's website (www.climatecare.org) to calculate carbon emissions - for example from a flight or from driving a certain number of kilometres a year - and the amount it would cost to make up for them. Pay up the money and it will be used to fund sustainable energy projects around the world.
• Buying recycled products, such as paper.
• Shopping at second-hand clothes shops.
• Using rewritable CDs instead of single-use ones, or investing in a data stick.
• Recycling/refilling printer cartridges.
• Buying locally grown, seasonal food and locally made goods such as furniture and clothing.
• Repairing damaged items such as electronics, furniture and clothes, instead of buying new, and upgrading to energy-efficient models when appliances must be replaced.
• Spreading the word, such as by holding parties to share green tips, or volunteering with an environmental group.